Green Tea
绿茶 lǜchá
0%
Pan-fired (炒青) or steamed (蒸青) within hours of picking — all enzymes halted immediately
Lóngjǐng · Bìluóchūn
Tài Píng Hóu Kuí
White Tea
白茶 báichá
5–15%
No fixation, no rolling — 36–72 h natural wither then gentle drying. Simplest processing
Bái Háo Yín Zhēn
Bái Mǔdān
Yellow Tea
黄茶 huángchá
10–20%
Like green + sealed yellowing step (焖堆 méndūn) — mild Maillard reactions soften grassy notes
Jūn Shān Yín Zhēn
Méngdǐng Huángyá
Oolong
乌龙茶 wūlóngchá
15–85%
Partial oxidation via 做青 zuòqīng — repeated agitation and rest. Widest flavour range
Tiě Guānyīn
Dà Hóng Páo
Red Tea
红茶 hóngchá
80–100%
Fully oxidised before fixation. Red liquor in cup — known as "black tea" in the West
Diān Hóng
Zhèngshān Xiǎozhǒng
Dark Tea
黑茶 hēichá
post-ferm.
Microbial fermentation (渥堆 wòduī) — distinct from enzymatic oxidation. Ages indefinitely
Pǔ'ěr (生 / 熟)
Liù Bǎo